Atomizer



Feb. 6, 1940. R. c, sEYFoRTH l2,189,229

' ATOMIZER n Filed June 2o, 1939 Patented Feb. 6, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ATOMIZER Application June 20. 1939, Serial No. 280,109

7 Claims.

.l atomizers or sprayers generally, including the type of atomizer shown and described in my copending application.

It is the general object and nature of the present invention to provide means for preventl ing the clogging of the relatively small-sized tube through which the liquid passes from the interior of the liquid chamber; to insure a proper venting of air into the interior of the liquid chamber; and nally, to permit operation of the atomizer in any position, viz., upright, upside-down or sideways, as may be desired by the operator.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detail certain strutcure embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but two of variousv structural forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a sprayer embodying the features of my invention of such dimensions that it may be used as a perfume sprayer, atomizer, or the like.

Fig. 2 is a view illustrating one of the small sprayers grasped by a hand and in actuated 4o position.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section on line 3-3 of Figs. 4 and 5.

Fig. 4. is a transverse section on the broken line 4-4 of Fig. 3.

5 Fig. 5 is a transverse'section on linev 5-5 of Fig. 2. I

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a bulb-type" atomizer to which the principle of my invention has been applied.

In the accompanying drawing I have not attempted to show the parts in their relative proportion and thickness of wall material and it will be understood that this will be varied according to the material used but in general the gauge of material shown in the drawing is much thicker than in actual practice where metal is employed.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated, the casing I is of cylindrical cross-section provided with an integral top 2 and a detachable 5 bottom 3, the bottom being threaded to the side wall casing for convenience in assembling the parts. A gasket 4 is employed to provide an air tight joint.` The casing has a longitudinally elongated side wall opening 5 and a central top l0 opening 6. The bottom portion of the casingthat is, the portion of the casing below the opening 5 constitutes a pump cylinder l.

The cylindrical plunger 8 is hollow to provide a liquid receptacle chamber 9, the plunger being l5 preferably provided with a suitable cup packing I0 at its lower end.

The air tube II is disposed centrally, opening through the head I2 of the plunger to the cylinder 'I so that air compressed within the cylinder 20 is forced through the air tube to the discharge port I3 of the air tube. The air tube projects through the opening 6 in the top of the casing and is closed at its upper end, its upper end constituting a finger piece I4 for manipulating the 25 plunger, the spring I5 within the cylinder acting to return the plunger to its initial position.

The liquid or eductlon tube I6 depends into the liquid chamber and is open at its lower end as shown at I1 for the entrance of liquid there- 30 to. At its upper end, the edction tube is provided with a tapered nozzleV I8 having a restricted delivery orifice or passage I9, this` restricted delivery orii'lce being relatively short andv of substantially less diameter than the internal 35 diameter of the eduction tube. The eduction tube is provided with a vent opening ZI! opening to the liquid chamber above the normal liquid level thereof.

It will be noted that the nozzle I8 is disposed 40 in alignment with the air discharge port I3 so that the air is discharged across the nozzle thus creating an aspirating effect or action, pulling up the liquid from the liquid chamber and atomizing it. 'I'he nozzle is arranged in alignment with 45 the opening 5 when finger pin I4 is depressed so that the atomized liquid is discharged through the opening.

In'the upper end of the casing I seat an annular gasket-like closure member 2I of rubber 50 or other resilient material againt which the nozzle impinges when the plunger is in its elevated or initial position. In this embodiment illustrated, the port I3 is also covered by the closure member when the parts are in initial 55 position as shown in Fig. 3. This member 2| is retained in position by means of indentations 22 in the wall of the casing below the closure mem- -ber and these indentations also serve as stops limiting the upward movement of the plunger and consequently the extent of embedding the nozzle in the resilient closure.

The liquid chamber is provided with a ller neck 23 which projects through the opening 5 in the casing and is provided with a threaded closure 24. This filler neck is of very considerable advantage in that it makes it possible to fill the liquid chamber from a bottle with little danger of spilling the liquid or of the liquid being impeded in its entrance to the chamber by the escaping air. In the embodiment illustrated, the filler neck 23 is notched at 25 to receive the eduction tube and thus constitutes a supporting element for the eduction tube.

In Fig. 6, the invention is shown as embodied in an atomizer of the ordinary bulb-type. The construction therein comprises a body portion 30,.such as a glass container, whose top is closed by the cap 3l removably secured to the portion 30 in a suitable manner, such as by the screw threads indicated at 32. A gasket 33 may be interposed between the cap 3| and the top of the container 30 in order to atmospherically seal the interior of the latter. An air discharge tube or nozzle 34, connected to the rubber bulb 35 is adapted to discharge a stream of air across the end of the nozzle I8 of the liquid eduction tube I6'. An air vent opening 2|l is located above the normal liquidlevel in the container 30. The eduction tube I6', with its nozzle I8 and vent opening 20 functions in the same manner as the correspondingly numbered unprimed parts previously described.

From a theoretical standpoint, it would normally be concluded that the aboveV described structures would be inoperative to produce a liquid spray, or any atomization at the eductionl tube nozzle, since it would ordinarily be presumed that the presence of the air vent 20 or 20 would be effective to equalize the sub-atmospheric pressure, both in the air space above the liquid in the liquid chamber and in the interior of the eduction tube I6 or I6. However, and contrary to such theoretical considerations, I have discovered that the dimensions of the eduction tube, the .nozzle and the air vent, can be made such as to produce a satisfactory liquid spray or atomizing operation.

The following table of exemplary dimensions is illustrative V'this portion of the tube. operated in upside-down position, the air at the as to raise the liquid above the normal liquid level to a point at least as high as the vent opening 20 or 20', employing ordinary perfumes and liquid cleaning solvents of commerce. The

internal diameter of the eduction tube of atomizer No. 10 is of greater than capillary dimensions. Atomizers Nos. 1 to 9 all operate satisfactorily in any position, whether upright, angularly inclined or upside-down. Atomizer No. 10 will not operate in upright position, but has proved: quite satisfactory in upside-down position.

I am unable to ascribe any particular principle or theory why such satisfactory operation is obtained. It is possible that the air in the air space above the liquid in the liquid chamber, being more elastic, rushes out, first, through the air vent 20 or 20 when the atomizer is normally operated so as to produce'intermittent puffs of air across the end of the nozzle I8 or I8', and that there is `thereby caused an aspirating eiect in the interior of the eduction tube to raise the liquid; on the other hand, there might be a throttling action caused by the air vent 20 or 20 which produces a greater differential of subatmospheric pressure in the interior of the eduction tube I6 or I6 than is present in the air space above the liquid; and finally, it is possible that the capillary properties of the eduction tube I6 or I6 are sufficient to raise the liquid to a point where the rush` of air through the air vent 20 or 20" entrains it and thence conducts it out through the eduction tube nozzle I8 or I8.

The above described construction also possessesthe further advantage and novel properties, in that the atomizer may be operated in either upright or upside-down position, and without undesirable leakage of the liquid from the liquid chamber. Thus, when the atomizer is turned to upside-downp'osition, the inner end of the eduction tube I6 or I6 becomes the air vent, and the air vent 20 or 20' becomes the liquid inlet to the tube. Thus, it is possible t evacuate substantially the entire amount of liquid from the interior of the atomizer.

My atomizer also possesses the further advantage, in that a clearing action of the interior of the nozzle and the eduction tube is effected at the end of each pressure stroke or intermittent spraying operation. Thus, after the blast of air is delivered across the end of the nozzle I8, there will necessarily be created a sub-atmospheric pressure in the air space in the liquid chamber. There will then be a tendency for air to rush back through the nozzle I8, the eduction tube I6 Iand the vent 20 to clear at least When the atomizer is end of each stroke will, of course, pass through the entire length of the eduction tube. This additional advantage is of extreme importance from a practical standpoint, particularly when it is considered that liquids ordinarily used in an atomizer tend to become gummy, or evaporate on standing and thereby clog the relatively small passages in the eduction tube and nozzle.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the structure herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I, therefore, particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

l. In an atomizer, a liquid chamber closed to its exterior with the exception of a single eduction tube leading from the interior to the exterior of said chamber and provided with a nozzle on its exterior end, said tube having its inner end communicating with the liquid in said chamber and its wall above the liquid communicating with the air space in said chamber, means for forcing a current of air across the end of. said nozzle, the dimensions of the-inner diameter of said tube, the orifice in said nozzle and the area of said vent opening being such as to produce a liquid spray at the exterior of said atomizer when said last-named air-forcing means is actuated.

2. In an atomizer, a liquid chamber closed to its exterior with the exception of a single eduction tube leading from the interior to the exterior of said chamber and provided With a nozzle on its exterior end, said tube having itsv inner end communicating with the liquid in said chamber and its wall above the liquid communicating with the air space in said chamber, said tube being of such dimensions as to raise liquid therein by capillary attraction above the normal liquid level in said chamber to the point of. communication of said tube with said air space, and. means for forcing a current of air across the end of said nozzle.

3. In an atomizer, a liquid chamber closed to its exterior with the exception of a single openended eduction tube leading from the interior to the exterior of said chamber and provided with a nozzle on its exterior end, said tube having a vent opening near its nozzle end and located above the liquid level in the interior of said chamber, said tube being of such dimensions as to raisev liquid therein by capillary attraction at least as high as said vent opening, and means for forcing a current of. air across the end of said nozzle.

4. In an atomizer, a liquid chamber closed to its exterior with the exception of a single openended eduction tube leading from the interior tothe exterior of said chamber and provided with a nozzle on its exterior end, 'said tube having a vent opening near its nozzle end and' located above the liquid level in the interior of said chamber, and means for forcing a current of air across the end of said nozzle, said tube having an inner diameter of from .020 to .0625", said nozzle having an orifice of approximately .016", and said vent opening having an area equivalent to a circle of from .0135" diameter to two circles of .028" diameter.

5. In an atomizer, the combination of a casing having a side opening and a top opening, the bottom portion of the casing constituting a pump cylinder, a plunger slidable in said casing and depending within said liquid chamber and provided'with a nozzle, said eduction tube having a vent opening to said liquid chamber above the normal liquid level thereof, said air tube being -provided with an air delivery port disposed to discharge across said nozzle, said eduction tube, said nozzle and said vent opening being of such dimensions as to produce a liquid spray at said nozzle when air is discharged thereacross.

6. In an atomizer, the combination of n a casing, the bottom portion of the casing constituting a pump cylinder, a plunger slidable in said casing and provided With a liquid chamber, said plunger being provided with an air delivery tube, a spring acting to urge said plunger to its initial position, and a liquid eduction tube depending Within said liquid chamber and provided with an outwardly tapered nozzle having a restricted d'elivery ori- Iice, said eduction tube having a vent opening to said liquid chamber above the normal liquid level thereof., said air tube being provided with an air delivery port disposed to discharge across said nozzle, said eduction tube, said nozzle and said vent opening being of such dimensions as to produce a liquid spray at said nozzle when air is discharged thereacross. y

7. In an atomizer device, a casing, a plunger reciprocable in said casing, a liquid chamber and an air chamber in the casing adjacent said plunger, an air tube reciprocable with the plunger and opening to said air chamber, an eduction tube reciprocable with said plunger and depending into said liquid chamber, said eduction tube having a nozzle at its upper end, said plunger be-V ing manually depressible downwardly to compress airv in said air chamber, and means for urging the plunger upwardly, said air tube having an air discharge orifice across said nozzle and said eduction tube having a vent opening to said liquid chamber above the normal liquid level thereof, said eduction tube, said nozzle and said vent opening being of such .dimensions as to produce a liquid spray at said nozzle when air is discharged thereacross.

ROME C.v sEYFoa'rH. 

